Inclement Weather Policy

In the event of inclement weather, SMEC school-age programs will be closed and/or opening/dismissal times may be altered if the districts in which the programs are located* have cancelled school or made the decision to delay opening/dismiss early. Please watch for school closings in the town where your child’s program is located on your local news stations.

Alternative Learning Classroom I:

Acushnet

Alternative Learning Classroom II:

Dartmouth

Early Childhood Program:

Acushnet

Integrated Services Program:

Old Rochester or Dartmouth depending on location

Multidisciplinary Learning Center:

Fairhaven

Primary Language Program:

Rochester

Therapeutic Learning Center:

New Bedford

Transitional Services Program*:

Follows New Bedford schedule unless otherwise notified

Due to the wide geographic area that we serve, in some cases the student’s local district may choose not to transport, even if the student’s SMEC school program is open. Parents have the option of providing their own transportation to the program under those circumstances and should notify the classroom teacher if they plan to do so.

Adult Service Programs

In the event of severe inclement weather, the SAIL Day Program and/or SMEC Adult Day Health Program may be forced to close. A decision will be made by 6:30 a.m. For cancellation information, please contact the SAIL office at 508-991-5477 or ADH at (508) 858-5127 for a recorded message. This information will also be posted on our website, www.smecollaborative.org, as early as possible.

If SRTA transportation is cancelled but the SAIL program is open, consumers have the option to provide their own transportation to the program.

Employment Support

Please note that Transitional Services students and SAIL consumers who are scheduled to work on days that school is
closed should still plan on fulfilling their job responsibilities as scheduled unless notified otherwise. For questions
regarding employment services during inclement weather, please contact SMEC employment department to discuss a
particular situation at:

In the event that a State of Emergency and/or Travel Ban is issued by the Massachusetts Governor’s office for extreme weather, SMEC employees fall under the exemption for “Personnel supporting human services facilities, including but not limited to residential housing programs and human services shelter operations.” Therefore, SMEC staff who are scheduled to report to the residences during extreme weather are exempt from the travel ban and should notify any law enforcement officer who may question their presence on the roadways that they are exempt human services personnel. Staff should provide their SMEC identification and give the officer the SMEC supervisor’s phone number to confirm if necessary.

Up-to-date information on States of Emergency and Travel Bans can be found at www.mass.gov.